Studies in Hellenistic Judaism (review)

160 SHOFAR Fall 1999 Vol. 18, No. I on the Torah in post-biblical Judaism contributes to this overall tendency. Moreover, it cannot be overlooked that in many statements Limbeck's view of priestly laws and the attitude ofJesus and Paul reflect a Roman Catholic theologian's criticism ofhis own church and her rigid application of canonical law. Since the time of the Enlightenment this has repeatedly been a function ofanti-Jewish polemics. Such polemics can only be overcome by being exposed for what they are and by being addressed with exact historical work. Frank Criisemann Kirchliche Hochschule Bethel Bielefeld, Germany review translated by Clark Seha Studies in Hellenistic Judaism, by Louis H. Feldman. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1996. 667 pp. Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums 30. n.p.I. Louis H. Feldman is Professor of Classics at Yeshiva University in New York. These 23 essays, written over the span of over 40 years, represent the most important statements of Feldman on relations between Jews and non-Jews in the Greco-Roman period (ca. 300 B.CE.-300 CE.) in the following special areas: I) Josephus; 2) Judaism and Christianity; 3) Latin literature and the Jews; 4) the Romans in rabbinic literature; 5) various studies in Hellenistic Judaism. In addition there is a bibliography of "Josephus' Portrayal of the Hasmoneans as Compared with 1 Maccabees." A remarkable and extremely useful series ofindices (pp. 608-677) closes out the volume. The indices include the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, intertestamentalliterature including the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Koran, rabbinic literature, Hellenistic Jewish writers like Philo and Josephus, Christian writers, Greek and Latin authors, etc. This feature alone is a treasure trove of information. Feldman is perhaps best known for his writings about Josephus, and nearly half of the printed essays-II in all-concern the Jewish historian ofthe first century CE. In a lengthy introduction to this collection Feldman addresses anew the question of Josephus' credibility as an historian offering new insights that lead him to conclude: "Indeed, I have come more and more to respect Josephus, not as a person perhaps and certainly not as a participant in the political issues of his time, but nonetheless as an historian" (p. 4). And Feldman in his new Introduction has a superb discussion ofhow Josephus wrote his work, where we should be critical, and where we should give him the benefit of the doubt. This is a most welcome addition. Also most welcome is the republication of his 1996 essay "Diaspora Synagogues: New Light from Inscriptions and Papyri," from Sacred Realm, edited by Steve Fine and published by Oxford Book Reviews 161 University Press, in which he exhibits his complete familiarity with Jewish epigraphy and archaeology in the Diaspora. But Feldman's collection favors his natural instinct to write about topics rooted in the literary traditions of the rabbis or the classical tradition itself. His essay "Torah and Secular Culture: Challenge and Response in the Hellenistic Period" deals with the tensions inherent in the clash of those traditions. The learning and erudition ofFeldman comes through in every section ofthis book, which is beautifully printed and arranged. The author notes at the outset that it was Martin Hengel who suggested collecting articles for reprinting, and we are all indebted to Hengel for turning Feldman's attention to such a worthwhile endeavor. I am certain that all scholars of Jewish antiquity welcome this opportunity to have so many of Feldman's important writings available in so handy a form. Eric M. Meyers Department of Religion Duke University The New Testament and Hellenistic Judaism, edited by Peder Borgen and S0ren Giversen. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997. 293 pp. $24.95. This volume of essays emerged from a 1992 conference by the same name held at the Faculty ofTheology at the University ofAarhus in Denmark. The central themes ofthe collection are set out in the introductory essay by S0ren Giversen, "The Covenant -Theirs or Ours?" These are: eschatological apocalyptism in the Jewish Diaspora; Philo and the New Testament; the interpretation of the Old Testament in the Jewish Diaspora and the New Testament; and New Testament themes in the light ofthe Jewish Diaspora. This list...